Pumpkin Chili

By Kay MacInnis

I love this time of the year because you can put pumpkin in everything: muffin, breads, cakes, pies, soups and stews, even hummus.

Pumpkin adds fiber to our diet as well as being a great source of the antioxidant beta-carotene, which may play a role in cancer prevention. A fiber-rich diet also seems to help people eat less, which may help with weight loss. Women need about 25 grams of fiber per day, while men need about 38 grams. This sounds like a number that is easy to achieve, but we have to pay attention to get there. One way to do it is to choose more fruits and vegetables, and keep them close to their natural state. At lunch and supper, half of your plate should be filled with vegetables — the more color, the better.

You can easily change this recipe to suit your tastes. Add your favorite type of beans. It is great with pinto and/or black beans. Be sure to rinse and drain them if you are using the canned type. By rinsing you can decrease some of the sodium and improve the nutrition profile of the recipe. Decrease the cumin or omit it if you don’t like your food spicy. If you do like it spicy, try using the chipotle-flavored olive oil. Nice touch!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can of diced tomatoes, with their liquid
• 1 (15-oz.) can of pumpkin purée
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin (less if you don’t like it spicy)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 (15-oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Preparation:

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
• Add onion, bell pepper, jalapeños and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tender – about 5 minutes.
• Add turkey and cook until browned.
• Add tomatoes, pumpkin, water, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium low and add beans.
• Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes more.
• Ladle chili into bowls and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional information: 280 Calories, 13 grams total fat, 55 mg. cholesterol, 580 mg. sodium, 23 grams carbohydrates, 20 grams protein.

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This is another in a weekly series of healthy recipes from Kay MacInnis, registered dietitian at Providence Hospitals in Columbia.

Kay works in Health and Wellness at Providence, helping cardiac and diabetes patients eat their way to healthier lives. She’s not a chef herself, but in consultation with the actual chefs at Providence, she’s learned a lot over the years as she has worked to help patients help themselves after they leave the hospital.

She also conducts a number of health and wellness events for the public, including the monthly Providence Cooks! classes. The next class is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

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